It’s the challenges she presents, daring me to take that one extra action, because who knows? Something wonderful might happen.

It’s her words of encouragement, her gentle way of picking me up after a stumble, helping me shake off the dust, and then encouraging me to get back on track—never doing it for me, mind you, but instead making sure I know I’m supported through it all.

It’s her self-deprecation, her subtle way of reminding me that she’s a human being, too, rather than a superheroine (though I swear she needs a cape).

Most of all, it’s her belief in me, steadfast and nurturing without any condescension (even when I trip toward stupidity).

My mentor wants me to learn, grow, and figure things out on my own. But she’s there for it all, too: a steady, cheerleading force of nature. For me, that is the definition of a mentor.

A true mentor wants you to succeed—not for selfish reasons but because they truly believe in your ability …

For me, what began as a mentor/mentee relationship has turned into a friendship, and I am now able to give back. She taught me that, too: reciprocation. For that—and for her—I am more grateful than I could ever say.

There are certain realities about editing that you don’t learn until you’re knee-deep in the trenches. Today, I’d like to discuss a few.

Most editors do not and cannot edit 8 hours a day. The editing process is incredibly taxing on the eyes, hands, bottom, and brain. Even if you take frequent breaks, you still hit a point where it becomes impossible to focus, and if you don’t walk away from the computer, you begin to make careless mistakes.

Not every project is thrilling. In fact, many are downright dull. The way to get through those, especially in book publishing, is to remember that you’re holding someone’s dream in your hands and that it deserves your best. Corny? Yes. But true.

There’s more to editing than spelling, punctuation, and grammar. I’m speaking, of course, about the joys of fact-checking, formatting citations, and captioning charts, tables, and illustrations.

Different types of publications require different editorial strengths. News sites, for example, require a fast turn-around time and attention to SEO.

You will come across plagiarism. How you handle it depends upon whether you work as a freelancer or for a company. Either way, try not to take it personally.

There is no such thing as perfect. Editing choices can be quite subjective, and everyone makes mistakes. It wasn’t until I saw an error in an updated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone that I finally let go of the idea of perfection in editing.

There are a few things, however, that all good editors-to-be have in common:

passion for detail

strong command of spelling, grammar, and punctuation

the drive, always, to learn more

Also, as Carol Fisher Saller writes in The Subversive Copy Editor, they are “liberally educated and culturally literate. They know a foreign language or two, are reasonably numerate, and have traveled a bit.”

Put simply, being well rounded will make you a better editor.

To be a successful editor, however, there are two more traits you’ll need, and they only come with time. Those traits are proficiency and experience. Or maybe that should read “proficiency through experience,” because really, that’s the only way to progress.

You start at the beginning with the most basic thing you can find—a friend’s term paper, a colleague’s PowerPoint presentation, a local nonprofit’s brochure—and you jump in with both feet. You make mistakes. You underestimate your timeline. You undercharge …

But you learn. You grow. And you begin to feel confident enough in your abilities to reach out to new prospective clients, introducing yourself and your skills, taking editing tests when needed, and generally expanding your business.

There’s no easy path. There’s no straight road. But believe me when I say that if I can get there, so can you.

Why? Because it is illegal not to. And readers who like to read further need enough information to find what they’re looking for (author’s name, title of publication, page number, etc.).

While it might be tempting to leave the heavy work to your editor, we are only meant to help with citations—not write them for you. Here’s how to conquer them on your own:

Choose a style guide. The style guide you choose will depend on the type of publication you’re targeting. If the publisher doesn’t recommend a guide, choose the one that best fits the medium (e.g., AP for news sites).

Our favorite clients:

feel passionately about their project

recognize their project’s weaknesses and are willing to accept advice on how to fix them

recognize their project’s strengths and are willing to stick to their guns when it matters

Most importantly, clients should understand that no editor anywhere in the entirety of the universe can make a book perfect. Why? Carol Fisher Saller (best-selling author of The Subversive Copy Editor) explains:

The manuscript doesn’t have to be perfect because perfect isn’t possible. There’s no Platonic ideal for that document, one ‘correct’ way for it to turn out, one perfect version hidden in the block of marble that it’s your job to discover by endless chipping away. It simply has to be the best you can make it in the time you’re given, free of true errors, rendered consistent in every way that the reader needs in order to understand and appreciate, and as close to your chosen style as is practical. (pg. 115)

If you haven’t run spell-check, proofread a few times, and done at least a bit of self-revision, expect to pay more.

After reviewing all the pieces of your project, an editor should offer a quote, along with a time frame for completion. You should then be asked to sign a basic contract. These details are crucial and help prevent miscommunication, protecting all involved.

Remember, anyone who works as a freelancer has to pay out of pocket for things like health insurance. And they deserve a living wage, just like everyone else.